Nova Launcher was acquired by (an analytics company) in 2022. While the original developer remains, the v8 branch represents the first major push under this new ownership. Most users find the official v8 beta (available via the Nova Launcher Discord or website) to be the most reliable way to experience these new features.
The settings menu has been completely overhauled to be more intuitive, resembling the native Android system settings for a more integrated feel. Nova Launcher-Prime-v801_build_80001-Modapk
Modded APKs are often altered by third parties to bypass licensing (getting Prime features for free). This process can easily inject malware, spyware, or keyloggers into the app. Nova Launcher was acquired by (an analytics company) in 2022